


The Blind Birthday

by theinvisiblekangaroo (orphan_account)



Category: Sherlock (TV), Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms
Genre: AU of domestic bliss at 221b, Books, Children's Stories, Cookbooks, Fluff, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm also bad at writing, John being sweet, Sherlock's Birthday, Short One Shot, The Blind Banker (referenced), don't judge me I haven't seen s4 yet, secret code
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-06
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-05-03 06:30:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14563002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/theinvisiblekangaroo
Summary: A list of books, hints, and numbers."Remember the Blind Banker?"  John makes a surprise for Sherlock and Sherlock has to decode his birthday card.  Floofy fluff.





	The Blind Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a one-shot I thought of when (oddly enough) buying my grandmother a Mother's Day gift. I've written other fics for this fandom but this is the shortest and it'll be the first one I post (I'll also probably edit it to death, but I'm a lazy perfectionist so... lol). 
> 
> I'd simply adore you all if you comment and tell me what you think. 
> 
> Not Brit-picked or beta-ed.  
> Enjoy!

Sherlock walked into 221B after a particularly boring case (and a particularly trying encounter with Anderson) and began taking stock of what John had been doing all day while he'd been gone.  He'd eaten ( _chicken alfredo with string beans and spaghetti for Rosie_ ), and taken nearly all the books off the bookshelves and put them back ( _why, John?_ ).  He had left a card in an envelope on the table ( _6s, from that shop with the hideous pink mannequin in its window, and the manager's son has autism_ ) and had taken Rosie to the park in her pram.  The envelope read in a clear script,  _Happy Birthday, Uncle Sherlock :)_ John had, of course, printed it, not Rosie ( _with my favorite blue ink pen, hmm_ ). 

Sherlock opened the envelope and took out the card.  It was a garish bright green with toy trains on the front, and inside was...

A list of books or hints to books, and numbers.  On the left side was written,  ** _Remember the Blind Banker?_** and on the right, some scarlet and aubergine scribbles ( _the box Mrs. Hudson bought her two weeks ago; the scarlet crayon hadn't been used previously_ ) and a quantity of dried saliva.  

_At least it's not some incredibly boring and trite printed sentiment. You know much better than that, John. A puzzle for my birthday! You must've asked Mycroft what date it was. Surely you didn't look on my driving license?!_

_Well.  To business._

#1.  **Your favorite book. 29, 73.**

 _My favorite book -- here it is.  Twenty-nine... seventy-two, seventy-three.  "Bisulfate."  An unlikely first word for a birthday note._ Oh _.  Of course.  The book John thinks is my favorite... the symphonic handbook.  29, 73.  "You."  Much better._

#2.  **My favorite book. X, 56**

 _Obviously that biography of William Wilberforce I purchased for him last year.  The foreword, page x, and fifty-six. "Are."_ This  _will be interesting._

#3.  _ **All Things Bright and Beautiful.**_ **1, 8**

_A gift from Harry ~~twelve~~ eleven years ago.  "My."  The first chapter is about ...snuggling up to someone with cold feet??  Goodness, John, don't get any ideas._

#4.  **Rosie's favorite book. 3, 7**

_Oh, easy.  Here it is.  A rather idiotic person must've drawn this.  Sheep are even-toed unguents, for heaven's sake.  "Sun."_

_You are my sun...?_

_Well, plenty more numbers to look up._

An hour and twenty minutes later, after investigating Mrs. Hudson's cookbook collection for  **Her newest one with a recipe for strudel in it. 20, 48** and looking for  **The book Mycroft got you last Christmas. 456, 200** (found in a box of other unimportant trinkets in the musty bedroom of 221C), Sherlock had the whole list puzzled out:

 _"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine._  
You make me happy when skies are grey.  
You'll never know, dear, how much--"  


_That's it?  Can't be, the meter is unfinished, obviously.  Needs three syllables more in this line.  
_

_Three short words, or a long one... You'll never know, dear, how much I ---_

_"You'll never know, dear, how much pneumonia..."_

Sherlock smirked at his own joke.  **You know what comes next?** was written on the card below all the numbers.   **Call.**

Sherlock called.  His deep baritone blurted out, "You'll never know, dear, how much --"  John's voice seamlessly meshed with his, providing the last three words, and the next line. 

_"You'll never know, dear, how much **I love you.**_

_**Please don't take my Sunshine away."** _

__


End file.
